Game apparatus.



J. H. WILLIAMS.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1913.

Patented June 30,1914.

LANonmPn co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN H. WILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom z5 may concern Be it known that I, JOHN H. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, and more particularly to an improved puzzle, the object of the invention being to provide a puzzle having a flexible portion which must be bent or deiected so as to permit the passage of a ball or other movable device through more or less restricted spaces.

A further object is to provide a puzzle having a Hexible or elastic base with a plurality of irregular shaped webs or enlargements thereon between which a movable device is adapted to pass when the base is bent, and between which the said movable device will not pass until the base is bent.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements cf parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In th'e accompanying drawings: Figure l is a plan view illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section on the line QHQ of Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but on a reduced scale illustrating a modification.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, l represents a flexible elastic base or eld having a flange.

or wall 2 around its edge to prevent the escape of a ball 3 or other movable device. On the base l, a plurality of variously shaped and variously arranged integral webs 4 are located having passages between them through which the ball 3 may pass when the base is bent. Some of the passages are too small for the ball to pass through even when the base is bent, so that considerable judgment and dexterity is required on the part of the operator to direct the ball between the webs, and it is the object of the game to compel the ball to take a course from one end of the base to the other as indicated by the arrows.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 22, 1913.

Serial No. 790,978.

I preferably construct the base l, wall 2, and webs 4; of rubber or other elastic flexible material. In Fig. 3, the entire base is not of flexible material, but only the central portion 5, s0 that the operator places his finger under the bottom of the base, and presses this flexible portion 5 upwardly to soenlarge the passages between the webs as to permit the ball to pass. It is to be understood that the ball cannot pass through certain of the passages without bending the base, and it will require considerable dexterity to so incline or tip the base, while bending, to have the ball pass through and take the proper journey from one end of the base to the other.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A game appara-tus comprising a base having a exible portion, webs on the base spaced apart, and a movable device movable between the webs when the base is flexed, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a flat base having a plurality of integral webs thereon spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a movable device adapted to be moved on the base between the webs, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a ilexible base, a flange or wall around the edge of the base, and integral webs of various shapes and variously arranged on the base, and a ball movable between certain of said webs when the base is flexed, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN II. lVILLIAll/IS. Witnesses:

M. E. Drr'rus, CHAs. E. Po'rrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

Patented June 30, 1914. 

